The Resident Experience of Feedback in Clinical Training: Emotional, Cognitive, and Behavioural Responses: A Qualitative Study

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Resident Experience of Feedback in Clinical Training

T2 - Emotional, Cognitive, and Behavioural Responses: A Qualitative Study

AU - Alabdulghafour, Abrar

AU - AlKhadragy, Rania

AU - Scanlan, Gillian Marion

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 Alabdulghafour et al.

PY - 2026/6/19

Y1 - 2026/6/19

N2 - BACKGROUND: Feedback is a key component of medical education and professional development, yet there is limited understanding of residents' emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to feedback in clinical training settings. Previous studies, primarily using quantitative questionnaire-based approaches, have explored feedback experiences in medical education; however, limited research has examined these experiences in postgraduate pediatric training in Kuwait, particularly the cultural, interpersonal, and contextual factors that influence feedback. This study explored the experiences of pediatricians who completed residency training between 2015 and 2020.METHODS: This qualitative study used semi-structured, open-ended interviews. Eleven pediatric residents and three supervisors participated. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or online, recorded, manually transcribed, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Data collection continued until sufficient information power was achieved.RESULTS: Five themes were generated through the researchers' interpretive engagement with the data: factors influencing feedback experiences, consequences of feedback, learning how to provide feedback, characteristics of feedback received, and challenges in the feedback process. Participants described both supportive feedback that enhanced confidence and learning, and negative experiences that caused demotivation and uncertainty. Cultural hierarchy, institutional practices, and workload pressures strongly influenced these experiences.CONCLUSION: This study provides new qualitative and contextual insights into feedback practices in postgraduate pediatric training in Kuwait.

AB - BACKGROUND: Feedback is a key component of medical education and professional development, yet there is limited understanding of residents' emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to feedback in clinical training settings. Previous studies, primarily using quantitative questionnaire-based approaches, have explored feedback experiences in medical education; however, limited research has examined these experiences in postgraduate pediatric training in Kuwait, particularly the cultural, interpersonal, and contextual factors that influence feedback. This study explored the experiences of pediatricians who completed residency training between 2015 and 2020.METHODS: This qualitative study used semi-structured, open-ended interviews. Eleven pediatric residents and three supervisors participated. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or online, recorded, manually transcribed, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Data collection continued until sufficient information power was achieved.RESULTS: Five themes were generated through the researchers' interpretive engagement with the data: factors influencing feedback experiences, consequences of feedback, learning how to provide feedback, characteristics of feedback received, and challenges in the feedback process. Participants described both supportive feedback that enhanced confidence and learning, and negative experiences that caused demotivation and uncertainty. Cultural hierarchy, institutional practices, and workload pressures strongly influenced these experiences.CONCLUSION: This study provides new qualitative and contextual insights into feedback practices in postgraduate pediatric training in Kuwait.

KW - Kuwait

KW - feedback

KW - medical education

KW - pediatrics

KW - residency training

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105042373757

U2 - 10.2147/AMEP.S586107

DO - 10.2147/AMEP.S586107

M3 - Article

C2 - 42344176

SN - 1179-7258

VL - 17

SP - 586107

JO - Advances in Medical Education and Practice

JF - Advances in Medical Education and Practice

M1 - 586107

ER -